A Family for Christmas

by Mona Ingram

  “What?” Maddie looked down at her coffee and wondered where it had come from. Was this the way it felt to be in shock? She warmed her hands on the cup and tried to smile. “I’m fine,” she said quickly. She searched her memory, trying to figure out how she could have been so wrong about Cynthia. Annie had mentioned her; it had been right here; right in this coffee shop, and they’d been talking about the fact that Annie wanted a sewing machine. The conversation came back to her as clearly as if it had just happened. ‘She’s my uncle’s girlfriend’, she’d said. The words taunted her now but it was easy to see how she could have been mistaken. She hadn’t known Brent at that point in time and had assumed that the uncle in question was Chase.

  “That’s okay. She doesn’t like me, either.” Annie’s words were spoken so softly that Maddie almost missed them. A silent tear rolled down the child’s cheek. “I heard her on the phone a couple of weeks ago. She was telling her girlfriend that she has no intention of raising someone else’s child.”

  “Oh, Annie.” Maddie gathered the child in her arms. “She doesn’t deserve you.” She held her away and looked into her eyes. “This may not make sense right now, but it’s not about you.” She squeezed her arms gently. “It’s about her. She’s selfish, that’s all.” She put her arms around the child again and stroked her hair. “You’re a wonderful child and she’s...” She searched for a word she could use... “She’s not a very nice person.”

  Annie shuddered. “Can we still be friends?”

  “Of course we can.”

  Annie broke out of her embrace and drank some of her chai. On the sidewalk just outside the window, a young girl walked by with her mother. Their arms were full of shopping bags and they laughed as the girl said something. Annie watched them like a starving child looking at a plate of food.

  Maddie had a sudden thought. “You don’t have any school tomorrow, right?”

  Annie nodded.

  “Well, I was wondering if you would help me with some shopping. I have a customer who wants me to buy a puppy for his son. He wants a family dog, but I’m not very good at this. Would you come with me and help me pick one out?”

  The child’s eyes brightened. “That would be so cool. When can we go?” She stopped and gave Maddie a puzzled look. “Where will you keep it until Christmas?”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. It will have to stay at the shelter until Christmas Eve, I guess, but it’s not too soon to go and pick one out now.” She pretended to think. “How about tomorrow afternoon?”

  “Okay.” She dug out her phone. “I’ll call Uncle Chase and make sure it’s okay with him.” She grinned at Maddie as she waited.

  “Uncle Chase?” She listened for a moment. “Yes, I’m at the coffee shop with Maddie.” She shot a curious look at Maddie. “No, just Maddie.” She muffled the phone against her sweater. “Lily isn’t coming, is she?”

  Maddie shook her head.

  “No, it’s just us. Is it okay if I go with Maddie tomorrow afternoon? She’s doing some special shopping and she needs my help.” She nodded as he spoke. “Yes, the school concert is in the morning and then we’re free for the rest of the holidays.” She nodded again. “Okay, I’ll tell her. Thank you, Uncle Chase.” She slipped the phone into her pocket. “He says he’ll have me back at your shop by noon tomorrow.”

  “Perfect.” Maddie lifted her coffee cup, relieved to see that her hand was no longer shaking. The full impact of Cynthia’s revelation would no doubt sink in later, but she’d made it this far, and she would survive, even with a shredded heart. Thankfully the time between now and Christmas was going to be so busy she would scarcely have time to think about Brent Drummond.

  LILY TOSSED THE PHONE on her desk as though it had personally offended her. She’d been trying to get up the nerve to phone Chase all day. She glanced at the wall clock. If she didn’t do it soon, the day would be over. She could never call him at home, but she’d thought she’d be able to work up her nerve to call him at work.

  “Okay, this is it.” She picked up the phone.

  “Chase Drummond.” His voice was brisk and businesslike. She pictured him in his office.

  “Chase, it’s Lily.”

  “Lily!” He breathed her name into the phone. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.” He cleared his throat self-consciously. “Well, most of the day. It’s wonderful to hear from you.”

  She was suddenly nervous. What if he said no? But then she wouldn’t find out until she asked.

  “I was wondering if you’d like to go to a Flames game.” She picked up the tickets and looked at them as she spoke. “It’s on Saturday.” He’d never know how many strings she had to pull to get the tickets.

  He groaned. “I’d love to go, but I can’t.” There was something odd in his voice but she couldn’t quite place it. “I have to go out of town for the weekend.”

  “Oh.” She tossed the tickets on her desk, and they lay there, mocking her.

  Chase didn’t give her time to be disappointed. “But listen, I’m glad you called. Would you consider going to the Oilmen’s Christmas party with me? It’s next Thursday.” He gave a low, intimate chuckle. “I realize it’s short notice and I meant to ask you last night, but things got kinda crazy there for a while.” He paused, and she wondered if he was recalling their kiss. She hadn’t been able to think about much else all day.

  “Please say you’ll come. My parents always schedule their Christmas visit so my dad can go and touch base with all his old oil buddies. It’ll be a great chance for you to meet them. And this is Annie’s first year. I know she’d be thrilled if you would come.”

  Lily didn’t hesitate. “I’d like that, Chase. Is it formal?”

  “Very. Not only do they send out invitations, they check them at the door.” He gave a small snort of derision. “Which is rather pretentious, considering we all know each other. Anyway, it’s always a fun evening.” His voice softened. “Will you be my date?”

  “I’d like that.” She decided to go for it. “Will I talk to you again before the party?”

  He hesitated for only a moment before he replied. “I’ll call you early in the week. Mom and Dad arrive on the weekend, so things will be crazy at our place, but I’ll talk to you before the party for sure.”

  “Okay then. Have a good weekend.”

  “I’ll try. Goodnight, Lily.”

  “Goodnight.” She set the phone down and stared at it. Something had happened during that conversation to make her uneasy, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Instead of being happy that he’d invited her to the most prestigious party of the year, she was edgy and unsure of herself.

  “Stop it!” She spoke aloud. “You’re seeing problems where none exist.” And yet she knew better. Her instinct rarely failed her, and warning bells were going off in her head. She picked up the hockey tickets and walked out to the production floor.

  “Greta.” The woman’s head came up. “Your husband is a Flames fan, right?”

  “Oh yeah, he drives me crazy.” She deftly positioned another t-shirt for screening. “Him and my son. They’re both crazy about the game.”

  Lily waved the tickets and placed them on a nearby work table. “Two tickets for Saturday night. I hope he enjoys them.”

  Greta and her husband had come to Calgary several years before. Both had only the barest knowledge of English. Johnny was a skilled mechanic and had quickly found a job. Greta had kept coming back and applying until Lily had finally hired her, and she’d never regretted the decision. The woman was willing to work all hours, and her output was amazing. She inspected the t-shirt critically, picked off a piece of loose thread and smiled.

  Greta nodded. “Thank you, Lily. And while we’re talking about hockey, please tell your Mr. Chase that we appreciate everything he does for the kids. We were able to get Bernie into a league because of him. He’s a good man.”

  Lily nodded, her eyes suddenly full of tears. “I’ll do that,” she said and walked back into
her office.

  LILY PICKED UP SOME wine and a few groceries after work and splurged on a cab. She exited and looked up, surprised to see that no lights were showing in the condo. As far as she knew, Maddie didn’t have anything scheduled for tonight, but she had mentioned how busy the shop had become. Perhaps she was working late.

  She pushed open the door, dumped her purchases on the kitchen counter and flicked on the light.

  “Maddie?” Her roommate was sitting on the floor in the living room, arms clasped around raised knees. “Why are you sitting there in the dark?”

  Maddie didn’t respond. She rocked back and forth, staring off into the distance.

  Lily kicked off her shoes and sat down on the floor next to her friend. A tear rolled down Maddie’s face, and she hiccupped loudly. The movement seemed to jolt her awake and she turned to look at Lily.

  “Do you remember when I told you Chase had a girlfriend?”

  Lily’s heart jumped into her throat. Images from last night arose, and she fought to stay focused. Why would Maddie be crying over Chase’s girlfriend?

  Maddie continued. “She’s not Chase’s girlfriend,” she said dully. She shook her head and went back to staring off into the distance. “She’s Brent’s girlfriend.” She tried to laugh, but the sound came out strangled. “His fiancée, actually.”

  Lily’s head was spinning. “Laurel?”

  Maddie pulled back. “Who’s Laurel?”

  Lily felt as though she was mired in quicksand. “Who are you talking about?”

  “Cynthia.”

  “So...” Lily frowned as she tried to put the pieces together. “...when Annie said that Chase had a girlfriend she really meant Brent.”

  “What she actually said was that her uncle had a girlfriend. I just assumed it was Chase because I didn’t know Brent existed at the time.” She pressed the fingers of one hand against her forehead. “She stopped by the shop today when Annie was there and introduced herself.” She looked around the room, her gaze coming to rest on various items without really seeing them. “You know what I don’t understand?” She didn’t wait for Lily’s response. “I don’t understand how Brent could be involved with someone like that. She doesn’t even like Annie, for goodness sake.” She hiccupped again. “She barely tolerates her.”

  Lily leaned back against the couch. “What is it with these Drummond men?”

  Maddie’s eyes widened. “Oh my God, Lily. You had the fashion show last night, and I forgot to ask about it. You must think I’m terrible.”

  Lily shook her head. “Don’t be silly.” She slid a sideways glance at her friend. “Although it was interesting.” She got up and offered her friend a hand. “Come on, get up off the floor. Let’s have a glass of wine, and I’ll tell you all about it.”

  MADDIE STUDIED HER reflection in the mirror the next morning, surprised that she looked so normal. Thank goodness for Lily. She’d been about to argue last night when Lily insisted that she eat something, but past experience had told her to give in. Lily was simply too strong-willed, not to mention the fact that her own energy had been at its lowest ebb for a few days now.

  It was just as well that Brent wasn’t in town. She didn’t know what she might have said to him if he’d come bouncing into the lobby today the way he usually did. She leaned against the bathroom counter and thought back to her time with him. He’d never actually said that he was single, and yet he’d led her to believe that he wanted to see more of her; that he’d be around in the future. How had he planned to do that if he was engaged? None of it made sense, and she was tired of thinking about it. She took a couple of deep breaths and tried to put the whole mess out of her mind. Today was going to be hectic enough without cluttering her mind with thoughts of Brent. If only it could be that easy.

  LILY LOOKED UP FROM her drafting board. A courier was making his way through the production area. He knocked on her door, and she motioned for him to come inside.

  “Sorry ma’am, but I need a signature.” He placed his delivery on her desk, and she smiled. A single white calla lily in an elegant bud vase. A small card was attached, and her fingers itched to reach for it, but the courier pulled out another item from his backpack, then offered his clipboard for her signature. She signed quickly, and as soon as he was out the door, she reached for the card.

  “Thinking of you. Chase.” She was quite sure he’d signed it himself. The words were in a bold, slanting hand. She set the card aside and picked up the second item.

  The cream coloured envelope could only contain an invitation.

  Her name had been filled in by a skilled calligrapher. How had he managed to get all of this done so quickly? She shook the envelope and a folded piece of his personal stationery fell out.

  You don’t need this as we’ll be together but I thought you might like it as a reminder of our upcoming date. Chase. As if she needed a reminder!

  She glanced at the bottom of the invitation. As he had indicated, it was to be formal. She wanted to look her best for him and already knew what she was going to wear. The only thing left to decide was whether to wear her hair up or down. She tucked the invitation into her bag and went back to work.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “GOOD MORNING, BOSS.” Zelda eyed her tentatively. Maddie’s assistant had been wise enough to stay silent yesterday afternoon.

  “Good morning.” Maddie passed her a coffee. “I’m sorry we forgot to bring back your chai yesterday. I hope this makes up for it.”

  Zelda took a sip and gave an exaggerated groan of pleasure. “Just what I needed.” She picked up her ever-present notebook. “Okay, here’s what I was thinking for that special gift basket...”

  They discussed business for another ten minutes. Maddie had scheduled the last of her appointments this morning and was anxious to get started.

  “Oh, I can’t remember if I told you. Chase will be bringing Annie by about noon. We’re going out to the shelter to see if we can find a puppy.” She smiled for the first time since yesterday. “She thinks it’s for the son of a customer.”

  “Aren’t you clever? Do you have any idea what kind of dog you want?”

  Maddie lifted her shoulders. “Brent said a family dog. I guess we’ll just see what they have.” She wrapped her scarf around her neck. “If she shows up early, keep her occupied, will you?”

  “Sure thing.” Zelda hauled out another gift basket and started to fill it. They were selling as quickly as she could put them together.

  “WHAT KIND OF A DOG does the little boy want?” Annie looked expectantly at Maddie.

  “I don’t think he even knows he’s getting one.” Maddie reached over and gave the child’s hand an affectionate squeeze. “But I was thinking of something that gets fairly large. Some of the people in Lily’s condo building have small dogs. They’re nice little things, but this boy lives out in the country and I think a larger dog would be more suitable.”

  Annie sighed. “I’d love to have a dog, but I’d never ask for one.”

  “Why not?”

  The child squirmed a bit in her seat. “Cynthia,” she muttered.

  Maddie should have known. “She doesn’t want you to have a dog?”

  “No. She says they’re a nuisance.” She kept her face averted and Maddie hoped she wasn’t crying. Perhaps this hadn’t been such a good idea. “Know what I’d do if I had a dog?”

  “What?” Maddie’s throat was closed up and she could scarcely get the word out.

  “I’d take a picture and put it with my happy picture. Then I’d have two.”

  Maddie tightened her grip on the steering wheel. If she wasn’t careful, she was going to come completely undone. She turned a corner and was relieved to spot the shelter. “Oh look, we’re here.”

  Annie climbed out and ran over to the wire enclosure. Some of the larger dogs were in their outdoor pens, and they ran up to the wire, vying for attention.

  Maddie stopped and watched. The child was at a perfect age for a dog, and she had no
doubt that she would take good care of it. Not for the first time she wished that Brent was involved with someone other than Cynthia. Anyone at all... just not that cold-hearted woman. She pulled herself together and motioned Annie to follow her inside.

  “SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?” They had seen every dog in the shelter. Maddie had done her best not to influence Annie, who had studied each dog carefully before moving on to the next. Maddie realized she’d left the choice a little late, as many of the cages displayed an ‘Adopted’ sign already.

  Annie shook her head. “I don’t know.” She looked up at Maddie, her eyes wary. “I want to help you choose just the right dog, but I don’t think it’s here.”

  The volunteer looked down at the information sheet. “You wanted a family dog, right?”

  Annie nodded.

  “We had a dog come in this morning, but it won’t be available for another few days.”

  “That’s okay.” Maddie and Annie spoke at the same time.

  “Could we see him?” Annie slipped her hand into Maddie’s and pulled her down. “I have a good feeling. This is going to be the one.”

  The volunteer led them to a separate area, away from the constant barking. “Here we are,” she said, and opened the door.

  A small white puppy looked at them with dark, hopeful eyes.

  “Oh, Maddie.” Annie rushed over to the cage. “This one is perfect.”

  Maddie smiled. The large paws were an indication that it would indeed grow into a much larger dog. “What is it?” she said to the volunteer.

  “It’s a lab. They’re widely considered to be the perfect family dog.”

  Annie poked her fingers though the wire, and the dog licked at them. “Can I hold it?” she asked.

  The volunteer looked at Maddie, who nodded. “Okay.” She opened the latch and lifted the dog down onto the floor.

  Annie immediately fell to her knees, and the puppy scrambled into her lap and licked her face.